The Trial of Hunters
by Rathalos Fang
Summary: (I'M BACK) The time of the Hunter's exam has arrived again. Aspiring hunters from around the continent flock to the city of Spero. Each of them sharing a similar goal, to become one of the elite. A young girl looks towards the future, as she tries to escape her past. -Sorry for the long delay, real life can be a hassle sometimes. I'll try to get chapters out regularly. No promises.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

Sand dunes stretched in an endless sea, bobbing up and down i the waves of earth. A gust of wind summons a flurry of sand that pelts the face of a teen girl. Her blue hair flaps in the wind as she tugs at her cowl in a feudal attempt to shield herself. The gust transformed into a full out storm as it blocked any vision outside of a few feet. The ship jostled violently, forcing the young girl to the deck. She heaved herself back on her feet as a small cat creature approached her.

"Hunker down missy. It's going to be a ride Nyah." Uttered the first mate. The Felyne pulled a scarf over it's mouth and nose. Another flurry of sand buffered the face of the girl. Huddling below the side of the ship, she became annoyed as it didn't help as much as she would have liked. The ship jolts again. This sent the girl to the deck again. The first mate scurried beside her.

"Sorry Nyah, but you're going to have to go below deck. It's dangerous up here." The girl muttered something, but it was too quiet to hear. She sighed as she looked down the steps that lead to the vessels underbelly. Her stomach groaned with discomfort with each step the young girl took. The unsettling creaks that accompanied each step didn't help the already grotesque feeling inside of her. She made her way to a corner. The hull carried supplies along with a few other passengers like herself. Each of them seemed to keep to themselves, besides one of them who was walking her way. The blue haired girl groaned in her head, as she didn't want to talk when she felt so cramped. She looked away, trying to avoid eye contact. Boots entered her view, the man now only a few paces away.

"Don't like sailing?" he asked. The girl looked up to see the man towering over her. His height wasn't the only thing intimidating about this stranger, as his body was built like a brick wall. His sleeveless shirt accentuated his arm muscles, as it also showcased his perfect abs. A slight wave of jealousy overtook the girl, wishing she could be as well in shape. Only then did she notice that the man was waiting for her to answer. Even though she didn't want to respond, she wanted even less to seem rude.

"It's not the sailing that bothers me. it's the cramped corridors of the ship that I have a problem with. When I'm down here, my stomach won't stop acting up." She hoped that this would give him the hint that she didn't want to talk. Though the man either didn't notice or didn't care..

"Mind if I join you? You're the first one I got a word out of this entire trip." The girl was annoyed slightly, but again, didn't want to seem rude.

"Sure, I don't mind I guess." He grabbed a nearby sack of potatoes and slid it next to her. Before sitting down, he held out his hand.

"The name's Rydon." Though hesitant, the girl took his hand. Before she could answer, her stomach groaned again, cutting off her train of thought. After a few seconds, she managed to mumble her name.

"Yppah." she told the man. Rydon paused, puzzled.

"Was that a hiccup?" He asked. Yppah looked up and scowled in his direction.

"Yppah's my name." Along with saying this, she muttered something under her breath. A look of guilt washed over Rydon's face. The muscular man's eyes shifted downwards before speaking.

"Oh, uh, my bad." Yppah's scowl turned into a sigh as she looks back down.

"It's fine, it happens more than I would like to admit." Her stomach had another episode and she groaned slightly. Rydon let out a smile, finally sitting down next to Yppah. He leaned back.

"Sorry for how you're feeling. I wish I would have thought to grab some herbs back in town. I could make something that would fix you right up." Yppah managed a smirk.

"Thanks for the thought." Yppah replied. "But I think I'll manage, not the first time I've been on a ship." The young girl stared at the floorboards and sighed. "And probably won't be the last."

"You'll get over it eventually." Rydon retorted.

"Sure, when jaggi fly." The ship jostled around again. Anyone who was unlucky enough to be standing were flung to the floor. Yppah now sat in fully curled up in a ball, grunting something vulgar. Rydon opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself.

An uncanny silence followed. Looking over, Rydon saw Yppah shiver a bit. Feeling sympathetic, he decided to break the silence to get her mind off the ship. "So, where are you heading?" Yppah doesn't respond. Rydon shrugged his shoulders, sighing at the same time. His only chance at a conversation was curled up in the fetal position.

"The hunter exam." Yppah quivered, her gaze still locked on the ground.

"Really? Guess I'm not the only one." The girl managed to break her stare with the floorboards to look towards Rydon.

"Is that where you're heading?" She asked, her voice shaky. Rydon simply nodded. Even though her body protested, Yppah shifted back into a sitting position. "You know anything about it?"

"Not much I'm afraid. Apparently there's some sort of sacred rite of passage… that's all I know." Rydon shrugged "I think the mystery of it all makes it more fun!"

"Don't know if 'fun' would be the word I would use, but to your own I guess." She noticed Rydon's eyes gawking at her with a sense of confusion . "Something on your mind." Rydon shook back, almost as if returning to reality. He opened his mouth, but paused, contemplating on how to word his next phrase.

"Well, it's about you." Yppah raised her brow. "I was just wondering why someone as small as you would want to become a hunter." Yppah lurched back defensively.

"You have a problem with that?" She accused the muscular man.

"I didn't mean any offence with that. Just usually people of your uh... stature wouldn't think about becoming a hunter." Yppah rolled her eyes at Rydon.

"Here we go again. For your information, I am much stronger than I look. And besides, what's it matter to you anyway." Rydon felt slightly uneasy under Yppah's glaring eyes, even with the substantial size difference. The small teen radiated angst and fury towards him, though he tried to act composed.

"Guess it doesn't. Was just making an observation. Besides, why so defensive all of the sudden?" All the rage disappeared as Yppah's eyes blanked and stared through Rydon into the distance.

"Because I…" She pauses slightly, but before she could continue, she is interrupted by the booming voice of the captain.

"We'll be docking shortly," the captain bellowed. "grab 'ur stuff or ya losin' it." The petite girl staggered to her feet, completely forgetting about the conversation she was just having. Finally. She thought to herself. I can be rid of this god forsaken grotto. Yppah made her way onto the deck, where the blistering sandstorm had vanished. She peered out across the sand, seeing the remnants of civilization in the distance. After a few seconds, the black line on the horizon turned into a bustling port town.

A whole fleet of ships were strewn around port, creating a barrier between the sand sea and the city. Yppah became worried as there seemed to be no open docks. As it stood now, the ship was in a crash course with the docked vessels. The captain held out his hand the crew sprang to life. The Felyne crew rustled about, slimming the sail and slowing the ship down.

The rambling of sailors could be heard in the distance. "Last call for the Mohron expedition." Shouted the captain of the nearby vessel. A few people piled on before the ship lurched out of port, opening a spot at the dock.

"Ah," sighed the captain "Tis good to be back in Spero"

As the boat pulled into the dock Yppah got a true look at the city, and it was thriving. Merchants had carts in the streets and hawkers cried their wares. People ran up and down the street buying what they needed for everyday life. The roads at the end of the docks split off into three different directions. The sound of cheers came from the direction of the arena. Another street circled to the left towards an elaborate city gate. The last street went straight ahead ending at a circled square, where in the middle rose a glimmering spire lined with many different jewels as they climbed its surface to a fire burning at it's peak.

Yppah stood there in a daze, never seeing a city of this size. In her stupor, she was knocked aside as a hoard of Felynes raided the ship. Running about and grabbing the supplies off the ship.

"Best be off with ya nyah" said the first mate standing on the railing off the ship, "We've got a lot of work to do and can't be worrying about some little girl, nyah." Begrudgingly, Yppah made her way to the gangway and down onto the docks. Rydon waited for her at the end of the walkway.

"So where do you think we're supposed to go?" Yppah asked.

"Don't know." shrugged Rydon, "your guess is as good as mine. Though we might try in the center of town and work our way out"

"That could work" replied Yppah, and took a step towards the center street. A commotion to the right caught Yppah's attention, causing her to stop and look for the source.

A lean man with purple hair was running through a hoard of people. He dodged in and out of the crowd, making them jump back as he did so.

"Stop that man!" yelled some men wearing gold uniforms as they chased the mysterious man. "He's a thief!"

"Good luck catching him" cried a hawker as the men stormed by Yppah and Rydon. The suit clad thief ran himself into a corner and turned around to find himself surrounded.

"Now we've got you" replied one of the men in the gold uniform. "And you're not getting away so easily this time." As the men lurched forward the purple haired thief jumped off a stand and onto the wall behind him, and in a swift motion, jumped off the wall over his assailants. The dogpile backfired as the men collided in spectacular form. All of the bystanders couldn't help but give off a few laughs as they crashed into each other, some even guffawed at the display.

"You'll need to be faster than that to catch me," retorted the man over his shoulder as he ran back towards the port. The thief suddenly stopped as he ran into a wall in front of them, or what could be mistaken for a wall. A man at least nine feet tall and three feet wide blocked the thief's path. Before the purple haired man could react the giant had him by the shoulders in a firm grip.

"What are you doing, Perlonis? Not planning another escape from the city I hope?" asked the giant.

"No, guild master Morum, of course I'm not planning to run away again… for the fifth time" replied Perlonis "Why would I do that?"

"That's good to hear" replied master Morum as he smiled "Now return what you stole." Some of the men had untangled themselves and were standing behind Perlonis as he turned around. Perlonis procured a medallion from inside his suit and offered it to one of the men. "ehem, the others as well." stated the guildmaster, glaring at Perlonis. Defeated, he grabbed two more medallions from his suit and another medallion from his pant pocket adding three more medallions to his hand. One of the men walked forward and swiftly grabbed the medallions from Perlonis. "Now don't you think you owe these men an apology?" Perlonis turned around and saw the guildmaster glaring down at him again. Perlonis faced the men who were now all gathered, bowed to them and said.

"I'm sorry that you're all ugly like your mothers, and have the brains to fit." Some of the men stepped forward with raised fists, but a booming laugh stopped them in their tracks.

"I'm afraid that's the best you're gonna get." The guild master said as he laughed "I suggest you take it and leave." The guild master resumed his explosive uproar as one of the men stepped forward.

"Better get that boy straightened out Morum," said one of the men pointing at the guild master "Or he won't be living in the city anymore, I will personally see to that."

"Don't worry," Morum replied, "He'll learn the respect he needs or he won't come back at all. He's got an exam to take tomorrow"

"NOOOOOO!" Perlonis cried as he quickly turned around "I don't want to be a hunter. People DIE doing what you do." The mob of men smiled at his dismay. Satisfied, the men in gold started walking away.

"Don't worry Perlonis," the guild master grinned. "It's not as bad as it seems." Out of the corner of his eye the guildmaster spotted Rydon and Yppah. "Ahh you must be the last of the new recruits." said the guild master as he turned toward the two outsiders. "Just follow me, I'll take you to where you need to go." And with that the guild master picked up Perlonis and slung him under under his arm. He walked down the center street toward the spire. Perlonis hung limp under the guild master's arm, knowing any resistance would result in a tighter grip.

Yppah looked at the purple headed thief, wondering what the guild master saw in him. Heaven forbid she had no clue. She watched as Perlonis dangled like a helpless child in the arms of the bear-man-thing. His expression was one of depression, of anguish. Though she forgot about it, as her mind shifted to what he said about the exam. He seemed awfully scared. Yppah thought to herself. Is it really that bad? Inside she knew she wouldn't find the answer, but pondering things like this is how she kept herself entertained.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *.

In front of them stood a large building. Extravagant wooden walls adorned with intricate carvings stood above them. Many woods mixed together in harmony as a banner is held above the entrance. "Pride's Hand" read in fancy letters. Guild master Morum walked near the entrance as the door's opened in front of him.

"Welcome back guild master" said a stout female standing in the doorway.

"Thank you Diana." Morum said back in a husky voice.

"Only took you fifteen minutes this time." she said looking towards the purple-haired man in his arms. Morum smiled as he dropped Perlonis, hitting the ground with a thud similar to a sack of potatoes.

As Morum passed by Diana the size of the hall dawned on two new recruits. Despite its massive size, few people we're actually in the guildhall. "Doesn't seem to be that many people here." Yppah spouted to herself, loud enough for others to hear.

"Oh, don't worry there's more than just this small handful," Perlonis smirks from the floor. "Only a few are ever here at a time, most are usually gone."

"Gone where?" Yppah asked as Perlonis lifted himself off the floor.

"Out on their own grand excursions, getting themselves killed." It was easy to tell the sarcastic tone in his voice.

"Shush you." Morum said to Perlonis. "Hey Diana, how about you get a round of drinks for the newcomers here. Don't forget to grab that new girl from the back. She's probably itching to meet a newcomer like herself." Diana disappears through a door. "She's such a prime example of a guild member, unlike some who aren't even a part of this guild," Morum says taking a glance down at Perlonis, who only shrugged at the comment. Diana returned, walking towards Morum and whispered something. "I'll be back, make friends you guys." Both Morum and Diana left through the back door.

From the same door a fairly tall woman walked out, standing about a head and a half shorter than Rydon. Her green eyes stand out from her behind her black hair, which goes from a pony tail on the back of her head to about the middle of her back. The woman was dressed in a full suit. She was fairly well built, and looked like an average woman until Yppah noticed the large weapon she stumbled around with.

"Isn't that a little big?" Yppah blurted out. Keeping her mouth shut wasn't one of her strong points.

"Well, everything probably seems big to you." She remarked, a little venom in her voice. "Name's Setsuna, shortcake."

Yppah glares at Setsuna, flustered a bit by her previous comment. Relishing in the reaction, Setsuna continued. "Perhaps, you are out of place here."

"Coming from the girl dressed as a man. I mean, seriously, what do you think we are doing, going to a dinner party?"

"You're one to talk. If it wasn't for the voice I would think you were a man myself." Setsuna quickly spat out, her gaze motioning towards Yppah's chest area.

"What did you call me?" Yppah walked within arms length between the two of them.

"Are you hard of hearing too? You heard what I said." Yppah clenched her fists, ready for a fight. Rydon mumbled, "I'm not getting in the middle of this." and turned around towards the bar.

Setsuna, now losing interest in Yppah, noticed Rydon. She looked the man up and down, focusing on the burn that covered his upper right arm.

"You really should have treated that burn with cold water and some herbs, it wouldn't be as grotesque as it is now."

"It's a reminder of what I failed to protect." Rydon doesn't give any other reaction.

"Poetic." Setsuna says with a sarcastic overtone. She frowned slightly, hoping for a more avid response. Perlonis then chimed in as he walks towards the bar.

"Leave him be, it's the reason he want's to go kill himself. No points for originality though, heard that a million times." The muscular man threw Perlonis a scowl, but not so much of a word.

Setsuna then set her weapon down a fair distance from Perlonis at the bar and took a seat herself. Yppah, grumbling something under her breath, sat down as well, far away from Setsuna.

The guild master returned from the back room, followed closely behind by Diana. "Hope you guys are getting along. Sorry it took so long for me to get you your drinks." Diana gave each of the newcomers a tall glass. "Better luck next time" Diana says to Perlonis as she handed him a glass. "How far did you make it this time?"

"A foot from the docks," Perlonis mumbled into the counter, "then I hit a wall." Diana looked confused for a moment, then realization dawned on her face.

"Oh, you mean the guildmaster" Diana says

"A wall." Perlonis replied, nodding his head. "At least there's a reason to return." Perlonis then took a generous swig of alcohol.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Diana asked coily.

"Why, your beautiful face." Perlonis answered, looking up. "That pretty smile, and the way you serve drinks, always warms my heart. You know that Diana. Why, I can remem…"

"Stop right there." Diana cut Perlonis off before he could continue. "You know that trying to get any information out of me regarding the Hunter Exam won't happen. No matter how pretty you may be." Perlonis paused for a moment before his face shown of defeat.

"Dammit," Perlonis let his head slam onto the counter. "Can't you be at least a little merciful? Just this once?"

"Nope." Diana said bluntly, shaking her head "If you wanted to know so badly, you should have joined us last year."

"Wait," Yppah cut in, "YOU'RE a hunter?"

"Don't let her good looks fool you," Perlonis responded, taking another drink. "She's a bonafide killing machine"

"So what's it like to be a hunter?" Yppah asked Diana

"I'm not sure how to describe it…" Diana paused to think a moment.

"There's nothing to describe it" Perlonis calmly stated. staring at his near empty glass. "Every hunt could be your last, no matter how many times you killed a monster. that monster could still get lucky and kill you in a single hit. Fear is what keeps you alive and having control of that fear will give you strength. But always know this, there is pride in what you do, protect not only the caravan, or village or city, but protect the whole world with everything you are. Hunters are the last and only line of defense between what's out there, and what's in here." An eery silence followed as Perlonis finished. "At least that's what someone told me once, might have paraphrased a bit." Morum hoisted himself off the counter.

"Well, we should all call it a night. You guys will need the rest for tomorrow." Morum smirked, looking in the direction of Perlonis. His purple hair met the table. "Don't worry Perlonis, you'll be fine. If you're anything like your father, you'll pass with flying colors." The giant strolled towards the back door. He looked slightly over his shoulder. "And if not, well, we all know what happens then." A quiet groan escaped from Perlonis.

"Sounds like a plan." Diana said, standing up as well. "If you gals will follow me, I'll show you to where you'll be sleeping." Setsuna glared at Yppah slightly, before turning her attention towards Diana.

"Am I going to be sleeping in the same room as her." she snarled, a slight tinge of venom still in her voice. Diana didn't notice or didn't care as she answered as carefree as ever.

"Why yes, all of the attendees will be sleeping in the same room. We transformed the conference rooms into temporary sleeping quarters for the event." Rydon spoke up after his long absence of words.

"Are we all going to sleep in the same room?"

"Oh, no. I guess saying all attendees was a lie, as the guys are sleeping separate from the girls." Perlonis perked up from his wallowing.

"Then where are the guys going to be sleeping?"

"The other conference room of course." Morum added, not looking back. A perplexed look washed over Perlonis's face.

"But we only have one conference room."

"Oh no Perlonis, we have two." The perplexed look turns into one of panic.

"You didn't." Perlonis uttered. Neither of them formally answered, though Morum gave out a husky chuckle. Perlonis instantly dashed out of the room into the back. A few seconds later, a scream of agony radiated through the hallway.

"You bastard!" Morum just laughed.

"What's the problem, you'll be a full fledged hunter soon, so you won't need to squat here anymore."

"Shut the hell up, some of us are trying to sleep." Yelled a distant voice. Diana silently opened the door, showcasing the now furious Perlonis. He walked up to Morum, who just stood there, towering over the thief. Perlonis clenched his fist, but the red in his eyes faded, leaving a somewhat crushed look behind. His fist falls as Morum placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me, you will be happier this way."

"I'm not so sure about that." Perlonis wallowed.

"Have I ever been wrong." Perlonis looked up into the giant's eyes.

"Actually you have." The smile on Morum transformed as he takes the blow to his pride.

"Well, besides that one time." He said, looking away.

"There was also the ti-"

"That's not the point Perlonis." interrupted Morum. He quickly turned away from Perlonis. "Boy am I tired, I'll leave you guys in the tender hands of Diana here." Morum then took his leave. Perlonis whispered something under his breath. Diana seemingly ignored their argument as she held out her hand in front of the two women.

"Right this way, I'll lead you to where you will be resting for the night. Perlonis, I trust you can show Rydon to the men's room." Perlonis didn't answer, but slightly nodded as a response. Without a word he began walking, Rydon following close behind. Diana took off in the other direction. Setsuna gave Yppah one last disgusted look before following Diana. Yppah didn't react, besides a slight rolling of her eyes.

Unease filled the air as the three women walked down the hallway in complete silence. Diana could feel the unease, as she was the first to break the silence. "So how are you adjusting to the big city Yppah? I heard you came from a small village."

"Pretty well, I think." Yppah answered, peering around the hall. "It's a bit of a culture shock." Yppah waited for a snarky response to bellow from her new friend, but she kept quiet.

"Well, you'll get used to it eventually." Diana smiled at Yppah, who couldn't help but feel slightly better. Setsuna looked at Diana, something on her mind.

"So, you're a hunter right? What can you tell us about the trial tomorrow?" Yppah's ears perked up, intrigued at the prospect of inside knowledge. Diana gave off another smile, but this one was more apologetic.

"Sadly I can't tell you anything, otherwise it won't be fair." Setsuna looked down, disappointed. This brought a slight smirk into Yppah's face.

"Well here is your room. Get to bed, you'll need your rest for tomorrow."

Two beds lay in front of Setsuna and Yppah. Setsuna immediately laid down on one of the beds and turned toward the wall without so much of a word. Yppah sighed slightly, though she was thankful for the silence.

Laying down on the cot, Yppah almost forgot what a bed felt like. For two years Yppah wandered the lands, avoiding monsters and finding shelter wherever she could. Needless to say these shelters usually didn't have heat or a bed. She relished in the softness of the cot, letting the silk sheet glide across her skin. She missed sleeping in a bed. Her thoughts began to wonder back to her bed at home. A longing ache filled her heart as she remembered her old life with her dad. Clutching her heart, she focused her mind on something else.

Yppah thought back at the day as she tried to process everything that happened. Her teeth clenched as she struggled to remember the names of everyone she met, but Rydon, Setsuna, and Diana were the only three she could remember. The young girl sighed, as she has always been bad with names. It was only inevitable that Setsuna came to mind. I wonder what her problem is. Yppah thought to herself. What did I say to invoke her wrath? The more she thought about Setsuna, the more grumpy and flustered she became.

Shaking her head, Yppah attempted to shake the thoughts of Setsuna out of her brain. The teen glanced towards Setsuna, who was probably fast asleep by now. With a smile, Yppah stuck her tongue out at the vile-mouthed girl. As childish of a move as it was, it made her feel slightly better. The young girl lay on her side, facing opposite of Setsuna and quickly drifted into the realm of dreams.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *.

Perlonis sighed once more as he opened the door to his former room. Inside housed six boys, all of whom were here for the hunter's exam. Two cots were left open for him and the newcomer.

"Well, here is your room Rydon. go ahead and pick one, I don't care." Perlonis griped, still sulking. Rydon opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead he placed his hand on Perlonis's shoulder and smirked. A simple gesture, but it somehow drew a smile out of Perlonis. Rydon, without a word, walked over towards a bed and layed down. The smile disappearing from his face, Perlonis walked to the remaining cot. Sitting down, he noted how uncomfy it was compared to his old bed. Nevertheless, he placed his head down on the pillow and tried to sleep. After some time of shifting and turning, Perlonis looked up and exhaled. It's going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter** **II**

The sun rose on the day of the Hunter exam. The sun's rays entered the makeshift hotel room. Yppah grunted slightly, rolling over to avoid the sunlight. Inevitably, she dragged herself out of bed, knowing that she wouldn't win a battle against the sun. Arms outstretched, she noticed that a certain rude girl wasn't in the room. She smirked, which then turned into a hefty yawn. Her stomach began to protest, as it hadn't been fed for over a day.

Walking outside the door, Yppah looked down both ways of the hallway, a befuddled look on her face. Remembering things wasn't on her list of strengths. Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she just picked a direction and went with it. As it turns out, she chose correctly. Rydon and the demon were sitting at the bar, where each of them had a plate of food in front of them. Her stomach gave a friendly reminder in the form of an intense growl. Rolling her eyes slightly, Yppah walked towards the two and sat down next to Rydon.

"So, where can I get some food?" Yppah asked, hoping that Setsuna wouldn't chime in with a sarcastic remark. Rydon doesn't verbally answer, but tilts his head forward. Yppah leaned forward, looking behind the bar and sees a little felyne laying down curled into a ball. Yppah looked at the sleeping cat, but wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She was hungry, but she also didn't want to wake it. Rydon could see her hesitation.

"Hey, Hinata, you have another guest." Rydon called, startling the cat awake. Hinata looked around frantically before seeing Yppah. Her eyes widened before she bowed slightly.  
"So sorry nyah, I must have dozed off." Hinata paused, clearly shy and embarrassed about the whole situation. "What would you like for me to prepare nyah?" Yppah's stomach growled at the sound of food, impatiently waiting to be fed. "Whatever is done the fastest, I'm starving." Yppah said, holding her hand over her stomach to try and quell its rage. Hinata sprang to life, "Alright. It'll be ready in a bit Nyah." Pans rattled as she began making the meal.

"How'd you sleep?" Rydon asked in between bites.

"Good I guess, it's been a long time since I've been in a bed." Yppah said, feeling more rested than she had felt in a long time.

"Travel a lot?" Yppah paused briefly before answering.

"I guess you could say that." Yppah looked down slightly. Rydon saw that he hit a soft spot, so he dropped the subject.

"So, are you nervous about the exam today?" Rydon asked. Yppah nodded her head in response. "Well, glad I'm not the only one. Wonder what it'll be like?" Rydon asked, not expecting an answer. Yppah shrugged her shoulder.

"Your exam will probably end with you two getting kicked out for being too meek." Setsuna spat out. _And it begins._ Yppah thought to herself.

"And what makes you so much better than the rest of us, huh?" Rydon spat back.

"Oh, just about everything to be perfectly honest." Setsuna said, hoisting her weapon on her shoulder. Yppah bit her tongue as she watched the wretched woman walk outside the guild hall.

"Another one of those." Mewed Hinata out of the blue.

"What do you mean by that?" Rydon asked.

"Every year we get rookies like her, conceited or full of themselves. But her kind are usually all hiss and no bite nyah." Yppah smiled at the thought of Setsuna failing. Yppah is overtaken by the smell of her meal. Hinata, seemingly knowing this, places a plate in front of rice, eggs, and sausage in front of Yppah. She begins eating without so much as another word. "Wow nyah, you have a hearty appetite you do." Yppah nods in response, stuffing more food in her mouth.

"I understand, it's hard to get a good meal when you are traveling a lot." Rydon added in, finishing his last bite. Rydon stood up, but paused. He looked towards Hinata. "So, do you know where the weapon's dojo is? This place is just so big that I'm sure I would get lost."

"Weapon dojo?" Yppah chimed in in between bites.

"Oh yeah, you weren't awake yet. Morum said that we would want to visit the dojo before the test begins. They're we'll get our sync gems, whatever that entails."

"Sync gems?" Yppah asked, slowing down as her food was already half-way eaten.

"I'm as clueless as you are, I heard about these gems in my travels, but I'm not sure exactly what they are. They apparently boost different aspects, like speed and strength, among other more obscure things." Rydon answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"You'll understand soon enough." Hinata responded. "To find the place, just take a right after you leave the guild hall, you can't miss it nyah." Hinata mewed, a large smile plastered over her face. Yppah scarfed the rest of her food down, her curiosity getting the better of her. All the while Rydon waited patiently, staring blankly as his mind was preoccupied with other things. Yppah slammed the silverware onto the table. Rydon flinched, startled back to reality.

"You done eating?" Rydon asked, before looking down at the empty plate. Yppah lurches up, using her arm as a napkin. "I'll take that as a yes." Rydon remarked, standing up as well. The two darted towards the door. Yppah grabbed the door handle, then hesitates. She turns back towards the cat cook.

"Almost forgot, thanks for the food Hinata. It was delicious." Hinata mewed in appreciation.

"You're very welcome nyah. Come back anytime and I'll cook another tasty meal for you."

"I think we'll have to take you up on that offer." Rydon said walking outside, Yppah following close behind. They both follow Hinata's directions, taking a hard right. After a few moments of walking, Yppah fidgets with her hands a bit, uncomfortable with the silence. She quickened her pace so she was walking next to Rydon.

"So, did you see Perlonis this morning?" She asked. Rydon shook his head slightly.

"I saw Perlonis for a moment, but he just finished eating when I entered the room." He then sighed, placing his hands behind his head while walking. "So, I wonder where we need to go."

"Don't know." Yppah replied. "Hinata did say we couldn't miss it, so I'm sure we didn't pass it." It only took the two a few more steps before a faint clanging sound could be heard. It only grew louder as they walked down the street.

"Look." Yppah motioned upward. Rydon followed her hand. A column of smoke billowed into the air. "Think it's a fire?"

"No." Rydon answered outright. "It's too thin, too controlled. Looks more like an iron forge to me. If I had to guess, that's where we need to go." Yppah nodded in agreement. The two became silent, each lost in their thoughts. A nearby customer gossiped with a store clerk. The clerk pauses, looking at Yppah and Rydon. The customer turned his head as well.

"You think they're the new blood?" The customer asked, barely loud enough to reach Rydon.

"I would reken. They don't look like they're from around here." The clerk responded. "We always get the weird ones around this time of year." Rydon's eyebrows scrunched together at the clerk's remark. A thought crossed his mind to confront the two, but he ignored it, figuring it wasn't worth the trouble.

"Think they're gonna make it?" The clerk looked at the two once more.

"The tall guy might, but I wouldn't bet on the girl."

"Yeah, she's gonna get destroyed out there." The customer chuckled. The laughter doubles as the clerk joins in.

"Heaven forbid she fights one of them monsters." Their laughter enveloped the area. Rydon's gaze shifted towards Yppah, expecting retaliation of some sort. To his surprise, nothing happened. Yppah kept staring at the skyline. A sense of confusion filled his mind, as he knew she heard them, everyone in a half mile radius must have.

"Funny, ain't it." Yppah said once out of earshot. Her shoulders shrugged slightly. "Funny how people determine your worth with one glance. It's much too familiar" A chill ran down Rydon's spine, her words were cold and precise. Rydon paused for a moment, trying to fetch the right words. "How does the saying go?" Yppah asked rhetorically. "Never judge a book by its cover. What a load of bullshit." Rydon frowned slightly.

"It's true you know." Rydon said, trying to reassure her.

"The saying? As if." Yppah spat out. "Denying that is like denying the fact you breathe." Rydon paused slightly, then sighed.

"You're right, I suppose. The hard part is setting aside that judgement and reading the damn book anyway." Rydon looked down at Yppah out of the corner of his eye. A smirk managed to find its way on her face.

With their goal in sight, it didn't take long for the two to walk upon the forge. It was much larger than either of them expected. The heat of the molten metal could be felt from yards away. At the base of the forge stood what could best be described as mix between a lizard and a goblin. The creature swung a hammer that was much bigger than himself. The clangs resonated through Yppah, shaking her body with each hit. After a few more good hits he noticed the two walking up.

"Welcome, welcome." The creature gestured his hand towards the two teens. "The name's Xoc. You here to buy a weapon or to grab a set of armor?" Yppah didn't answer, too awestruck at the creature in front of her to speak. Rydon spoke in her place.

"We were actually told to come here by Morum."

"Ah, I've been expecting you two. Go talk to Heidi in the back, She'll set you two up right quick." Xoc struck at the metal again, continuing as if they never walked in. They walked into the back, hearing a young voice.

"Rydon and Yppah, am I correct?" A tall blonde appeared from behind a wall. "Morum told me all about you guys. I'm Xoc's assistant." Rydon was now the speechless one. Yppah rolled her eyes slightly.

"Nice to meet you." Yppah held out her hand. Heidi graciously took her hand. Heidi's grip was very strong, to the point where Yppah fought the urge to whimper in pain. Heidi then turned to Rydon, who repeated the greeting. Yppah could see a tinge of pain in his eyes as well, becoming a victim of her iron grip. Heidi reeled back as she realized what she did.

"I'm so sorry, I forgot you guys aren't hunters yet. We don't get many civilians here, I hope I didn't hurt you." Rydon was quick to answer.

"Not at all." Yppah rubbed her hand a bit, trying to quell the ache.

"Oh that's good." Heidi began walking towards the back wall. "If you two would follow me." Yppah followed close behind, wondering how a girl of her stature was so strong. Heidi was barely taller than she was, and yet she seemed stronger than Rydon. The new recruits followed Heidi through a door, once inside she motioned towards a set of crystals. They were ordered by size, ranging from a grape sized gem to a kettle sized one. "We are going to be using these crystals to determine which strength of sync gem we should use." Yppah raised her hand, but put it down, realizing how silly she looked.

"I know this may be a stupid question, but what is a sync gem?" Heidi smiled as she answered.

"Oh no, it's not a bad question. It's something that isn't widely known outside of the hunter community." Heidi hovered her right hand over her left. A small light radiated from her palm. The light disappeared, leaving behind a small stone. "This is a sync gem. It imbues itself within your body; heightening your strength, endurance, senses, and the like." Yppah looked at the gem in awe, having a hard time getting over the miraculous appearance. "This is a stage-four gem, which is fairly average strength. The standard gems range from one to ten, though it is possible to create gems at stage-eleven and above." Heidi then cupped her hands. The light returns as it shined out the cracks. After another second, the stone is gone again.

"Give me the strongest one you have. I need to be as strong as I can get." Rydon said with a serious face. Yppah looked at Rydon, wondering where the flip in personality came from.

"Oh no no no. I couldn't do that, it'd be too dangerous. The sync gems doesn't give you strength, it amplifies your natural strength. Giving you a gem too strong would wreak havoc on your body, slowly tearing you apart from the inside. That's why we use these weight crystals." Heidi once again motioned at the line of crystals. "Rydon, why don't you grab the stage-six weight. Yppah, how about you start with stage-four." Both Rydon and Yppah reached forward, grabbing their recommended crystal. Lifting the gem, Yppah was surprised at just how light it was. It was the size of an orange, and yet it felt lighter than a feather. Heidi noticed the surprised looks.

"Pretty light, aren't they. These gems are enchanted to resonate with the strength of your muscles. The stone has the ability to gauge whether or not your body can handle a certain strength crystal. If you can handle it, it's lighter than air, but if you cannot, it will be heavier than a sand sailer." Rydon wasted no time, placing the stage-six down and lifting the stage-eight. He lifted the melon sized crystal with ease, Heidi muttering something under her breath. He then tried the stage-nine. He grabbed it for a second before letting go.

"Looks like I'm a stage-eight." Rydon said, a slight arrogance infused into his comment. Yppah, annoyed with this, skipped the others and tried the stage-eight. She struggled for a second before giving up. Yppah didn't look at Rydon because she knew he had some smug look on his face. Yppah decided to work her way down, grabbing the stage-seven next. Yppah lifted the crystal with ease. She peered at the stone amazed, not expecting to be able to pick the crystal up. The same amazed look were plastered on Heidi and Rydon as well.

"Well I'll be damned." Heidi said, giving Yppah a look down. "I never expected a girl of your stature to be that strong." Yppah couldn't help but smile, this is the first time she was praised for anything.

"Guess I'm just a tough little girl." Yppah said, putting the crystal down. Heidi stepped around Yppah, examining her all over. Yppah blushed slightly, becoming timid under her scrutinous gaze.

"It doesn't add up." She muttered, continuing her full body scan. "Did the rock lose the enchantment?" Heidi reached for the stage-six weight, but couldn't budge it. "How the hell." She muttered again, restarting her examination. She paused at Yppah's chest area, causing Yppah to become even more uncomfortable than before. Heidi swiftly reached towards Yppah's chest where she then plucked a necklace she was wearing. Heidi held it up, showcasing a claw of some sort. "Could this be it?" She muttered to herself again. "Yppah dear, where did you get this necklace?" She asked, examining the claw closely.

"I...I got it from my father. He said it was the tip of a Rathalos's Claw." Heidi perked up at her words.

"That's it." Heidi said, releasing the necklace. "The essence of a Rathalos can give strength to a user, adding strength without straining the body. Maybe the essence of that claw would allow you to bypass the enchantment on the weighted crystals." Heidi looked up, seeing a look of confusion on Yppah's face. "I'm sorry if I babbled a bit there. Yppah, if I could ask for you to take off that necklace and try picking the stone up again." Yppah agreed, slipping the necklace over her head. She attempted to lift the crystal again, and to everyone's surprise, lifted it with no effort at all.

Yppah placed the crystal down, looking at Heidi again. Though, Heidi didn't say a word. The room stayed silent as everyone didn't have words to say. After a few long moments, Heidi finally broke the silence. "I don't understand. I figured you would be stage-five, maybe stage-six at greatest. Hell, another girl came earlier who was older than you, and yet only received a stage-six." Heidi then became quiet, thinking intently on the mystery. After a few more moments, Yppah spoke up.

"So, what should we do Heidi?" Heidi didn't answer, still thinking. She then turned around and rummaged through a chest. In each hand lay a gem.

"I'm going to give you the stage-seven sync gem regardless of my expectations."  
"Isn't that dangerous. You said so yourself that it would tear me apart." Yppah worried as she remembered her warning.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Heidi said, confidence returning to her voice. "Those side effects only occur after long time use of the sync gem. If, by chance, the weights stones are off, it will take over a month before any real damage is done. Just promise me this." Heidi paused, looking at Yppah. "Make sure you are conscious of your body. The sync gem works with your body, so it should feel natural. If something feels off or you seem to have less control of your movements, you MUST come back to me immediately."

Yppah gulped slightly, a bit jarred from Heidi's warning. Heidi assured Yppah that she doesn't have to worry too much. "The weight crystals are exceptionally accurate, so it should be fine. I'm just warning you on the off chance." Yppah nodded, heeding her advice.

"Alright, sorry for all the drama there." Heidi apologized. "Let's get started, shall we?" Rydon and Yppah glanced at each other before holding out their palms. Heidi placed a stone in each of their hands. She faced Yppah, cupping their hands together. The light appeared briefly, a bizarre warmth emanating from the stone. Yppah then felt the warmth quickly course through her entire body, followed swiftly by an excessive chill. Though the sensation quickly disappeared.

"That was weird." Yppah said, shaking her hand vigorously. Heidi then turned to Rydon, repeating the process.

"Alright, you two should be done." Heidi brushed her hands together. "You two should head for the docks. If I'm not mistaken, the wagons will be leaving soon for the Hunter's test. I say you got about an hour." Yppah and Rydon nodded, thanking Heidi for everything. Before they could make it out of the door, Heidi grabbed Yppah's shoulder. "Yppah, one last thing. I want to examine this anomaly further. If you could come back after a month or so, I would appreciate it." Smiling, Yppah gave Heidi her word, quickly running out the door to catch up to Rydon.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter III**_

Six wagons rolled across the dusty plane, wind kicking up dust as it blew through the grass. A lone tumbleweed rolled alongside the wagons for a while before going on it's merry way, a different mood than one that enveloped each wagon. Each wagon had four to five recruits in the back. Some recruits were relaxed, some were looking excitedly at the scenery around them, trying to anticipate what awaited them and some recruits got more and more nervous the farther away from the city they got. Perlonis sat in a corner of the wagon whispering to himself.

"No no no, this isn't happening. Yeah that's right! It's just a dream, all a bad dream. I'm gonna wake up any minute now and still have a chance to run. Running's good, it keeps you alive." Setsuna glanced at Perlonis.

"Pitiful, such cowards should not be allowed to live." Setsuna growled. The other recruits looked at Setsuna, surprised at the harshness of her words. Though no one spoke up. They either didn't care or were too afraid to speak. Perlonis also chose to be silent, choosing not to humor her. Setsuna didn't like this as she hated to be ignored. She took a step towards Perlonis, but stopped. It wasn't worth the risk of being thrown out of the exam. She returned to the side of the wagon, but not before scoffing him.

Perlonis ignored her gesture, trying to calm himself down from his panic attack. He tried to take deep breaths, but could never catch his breath. He felt his hands sweating and his heart was pounding out of his chest. After a few minutes, and a lot of deep breaths, he finally calmed himself down.

He looked out ahead, an overwhelming sense of dread began seeping into his body. _I'm heading to my death._ He thought. _Maybe I could run back to town?_ Perlonis pondered on this thought for a second, before shaking his head. _Like that would do any good. Morum wouldn't let me live if I returned, if I could even find my way back._ Perlonis let out a large sigh as he continued to stare into his corner, lost in his mind, grieving on what is to come.

A couple of wagons back sat Yppah and Rydon. Yppah gazed outwards towards the horizon, feeling a bit anxious about the exam. She wondered where they were taking all the recruits. What could possibly be this far away from the city. Her thoughts are interrupted by one of the other recruits.

"Where the hell are we going?" he asked the driver. The old man leaned back in his seat, turning his head back.

"How about you open your eyes and see for yourself." The young recruit looked around, seeing nothing but the wide open plain. His face red, the agitated recruit glared at the driver. A smirk now adorned the old man's face.

"You going senile old man? There is nothing out there but fucking plains. There's not even a fucking tree!" The old man doesn't answer. This angered the youngster even more. "You hard of hearing too you old geezer!" The old man only responded by closing his eyes and tilting his head back. He then sighed. Looking back, he eyed Yppah who was sitting in the corner. Yppah noticed his gaze, feeling uneasy. She watched as the man motioned with his finger.

"Come up here and take the reins. I want to have a one on one talk with our impatient friend here." Yppah reeled back, surprised and offset by his command.

"But, I never-"

"Don't fret, I'm not asking you to steer, just to hold the reins taut." interrupted the old man. Yppah sat speechless. The driver dropped the reins and climbed into the back. He gave another look at Yppah.

"Hurry and take the reins girl, before they realize they don't have a driver." Yppah felt an unsettling pressure emanating from his words. "Y-yes sir." She stammered, lurching to her feet. The old man chuckled. "No need to be so formal, call me Kic." While she took the driver's seat, Kic approached the recruit.

"And who do you think you are?" The recruit stood up, staring the old man in the face. "I'm Dolen Hedum, son of Decus and Gloria Hedum, the greatest monster traders in all the land." The man answered with a husky laugh.

"There it is." Kic remarked. Dolen's anger subsided for a split second, long enough for a confused look to appear. The look didn't last long, as he returned to his angered state.

"What do you mean by that?" shouted Dolen, his face turning red. Kic chuckled once again.

"Why, the silver spoon. Youngsters like you always have one." The old man's words cut deep, as this only angered Dolen even more.

"You know nothing about me old man, how hard my life has been." The smirk on Kic's face faded, replaced with a menacing grimace. He took a step forward, looming over Dolen.

"You're life hasn't been hard rich boy, it's been normal. Your parents are honorable traders, smarter than your average merchant." Kic paused, reaching into his pocket. A cigar emerged, along with a small match box. "And that's why they cut you off." The old man lit the cigar, puffing out grey clouds. All the while Dolen stood speechless, the anger in his look slowly fading.

"H-how the hell do you know that." Dolen sputtered.

"You think I'm just some wrinkled old man who happened to be hauling your ass? I'm a hunter." Kic paused, taking another puff of his cigar. "Well, I used to be. Retired now, but that doesn't mean I'm hung up just yet. I know the history of every recruit on this wagon, and you have no right in hell to complain about a hard life. So shut up." Dolen stood silent for a moment, unable to find words. His anger quickly returned, as Dolen hated to be talked down upon.

"You're just some old fart, why should I listen to you? You hunted monsters 100 years ago, so what? Look at you now, I could probably break your back if I breathed too hard." Kic frowned, shaking his head.

"You're mistake." Kic snuffed his cigar on the cart railing as he blew out one last smoke cloud. "I tried to be civil. Now I'll have to take care of the trash."

These words infuriated Dolen. The youngster lunged forward, swinging his right hand in a large arch. It was apparent to everyone watching that Dolen was not experienced in fighting. The elderly man grabbed Dolen's arm with one hand while the other grabbed a handful of cigar ash. He then flung the powder into Dolen's eyes while also shoving him against the wall. Dolen yelped slightly, furiously rubbing his eyes. He managed to get the ash out, only to find a boot in his face. The kick propelled Dolen backward, forcing him over the wagon's railing.

Dolen slammed onto the ground, his body limp as he rolled to a stop. He grunted in pain, attempting to lean up. His look turned to shock as he sees the wagon leaving him behind. Dolen called out to Kic, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Think it's time you learned some respect. "Yelled the old man. "We might come back for you after the exam. Be careful not to get eaten before then." Dolen began running toward the wagon, but it was obvious he wasn't catching up. Kic turned away. "Hope the guild masters don't wring my neck out for this." He muttered to himself.

The other recruits stood shocked, looking back at Dolen. Yppah watched as Kic slowly walked to her. "I'll take the reins back. Thanks for the help." Yppah was too shaken to speak. She handed Kic the reins, trying to make a stealthy dash towards the back. Kic noticed though, stopping her with his words. "Why don't you sit up here girl, you seemed uncomfortable in the back." Yppah paused, not sure what to say. Kic's harsh demeanor unsettled her. She briefly wondered what the consequences would be if she refused his offer, then promptly sat down next to Kic.

An awkward silence ensued. After a few moments, Kic decided to break the silence. "I can tell something's on your mind, it's about that kid Dolen isn't it?" Knowing that not answering would be rude, Yppah spoke up.  
"That was kind of harsh." Kic paused before answering, only nodding his head slightly.

"It can be seen as that I guess, but one of the first things you learn as a hunter is that this job is not glamorous. Dolen doesn't have what it takes to be a hunter. Hunters fight for the safety of others, while Dolen is too selfish to take such responsibility. People depend on hunters for safety, their lives can depend on it. Now, do you want to put your life into his hands?" Yppah sat silently, not sure whether he was expecting an answer or whether it was rhetorical. Either way, she didn't have an answer. Kic smirked at her lack of response. The two of them sat there for a long time in silence. Kic focused on the road while Yppah focused on not making him mad. She looked back at Rydon for answers, but she only received a small shrug.

"I want you to know, I'm not that bad of a person." Kic said, his gaze off in the distance. "I was only that harsh because I've have dealt with too many of his kind. It never ends well. You have nothing to fear from me." These words seemed sincere, but Yppah wasn't exactly sure, She knew how easy it can be to mask your true thoughts. Nevertheless, she couldn't sit next to Kic the whole ride shaking in fear. Yppah breathed deeply before responding.

"I know. This is all just so new to me. I've lived on a small farm for most of my life. I barely heard of hunters before I headed here."

"Aye, small towns are usually against outside help. Suntai never liked outsiders, prefered to face problems themselves." Yppah's ears perked up.

"H-how do you know about Suntai?"

"Like I said, I know the history of everyone on this wagon, including yours." Yppah cringed a bit, her mind wondering back. An ache filled her heart as she remembered her dad before he left. Kic sensed her pain, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry lass, I didn't mean to open old wounds." Kic looked up at the sky. "We all got that something, that aching pain that never goes away." Kic paused shortly, looking towards the girl out of the corner of his eye. Yppah doesn't respond. She continued to stare outwards towards the horizon. Kic smiled, a look of sympathy "You're not alone anymore." Yppah broke her gaze with the horizon and looked toward Kic. Her look still appeared empty, but a small smirk formed.

"I would like to believe that, and against my better judgment, I will." Kic nodded his head slightly without saying a word. Yppah leaned back and closed her eyes, an anxious feeling returned as she reminded herself of their destination. "So, how much longer until we get there?"

"Not too much longer, maybe an hour? You may want to rest as much as you can, as this won't be easy." Kic said, looking up towards the sun.

"I think I'll do that." Yppah responded. "Any chance you could tell me what we'll be doing?" A silence followed. After a few moments, she figured she wasn't going to get her answer. "Could you at least tell me why this is so secretive?" Another silence followed. Figuring she wouldn't receive an answer, she was pleasantly surprised when Kic cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm not to sure myself to be perfectly honest. My best guess is so that the hunters can't prepare for it specifically. A hunter can't approach every monster in the same way, they must adapt to it. If the recruits knew ahead of time, then they could, study in a sense. They could learn only what they needed to pass the test. Though, as I said, just a guess."

"A pretty damn good guess I think." Yppah didn't see, but a smile grew on Kic's face. "Guess we'll all find out soon enough."

"Aye, soon enough." Kic mumbled.

The carts slowed as the sandy landscape disappeared and transformed into a forest. Each of the recruits perked up to the change in scenery. Even Perlonis, who barely moved throughout the entire journey, looked around the landscape. The overbearing heat of the desert turned into a stout mugginess that made it feel even hotter. Setsuna made her way to the front of the wagon, climbing next to the driver.

"We close?" She asked. The driver didn't say anything, only nodded slightly. "Good, I've been getting cramped in here." The driver gave her a sideward glance, but still said nothing. Setsuna became slightly annoyed, as the driver wouldn't say a word to her. She sighed and climbed back into the main part of the wagon. She eyed Perlonis looking around.

"Well, looky here. You finally came out of your hole." Perlonis didn't look towards her. He knew he could just ignore her entirely, but he figured that he could only ignore a problem so much.

"Yeah, there's actually things to see here, unlike the desert. I've seen enough sand to last two lifetimes." Perlonis looked over, seeing a slightly surprised look on Setsuna's face. It quickly turned into her usual grimace.

"I guess, but it's nothing new." Setsuna leaned on the railing, looking out into the forest. A small kelbi hopped in and out of sight. Her stomach growled, reminder her of how long they have been travelling on the wagons. "What I wouldn't do for some food right now." She muttered to herself. The wagon jostled back and forth as Perlonis jumped out of the wagon. Setsuna looked as Perlonis darted behind some trees. _What the fuck? Did he decide to ditch now after all this time?_ Setsuna's pondering was interrupted by Perlonis's return. He hoisted himself over the railing of the wagon.

"What the fuck was that?" Setsuna spat out. "If you were going to ditch after all this ti-" Perlonis's hand thrust out, cutting Setsuna off holding a large grey berry.

"Go on, take it. You said you were hungry didn't you?" Setsuna, still stunned, took the berry. She now gave the berry a look down, realizing what she was holding.

"Isn't this a bomberry? Are you trying to kill me or something?" Perlonis chucked slightly, which only angered Setsuna more.

"Relax, bomberries are perfectly safe to eat, as long as you eat them raw. Cook them and well, boom." Perlonis took a big bite out of his own berry. Setsuna hesitated, but her stomach growled again, so she took a bite. Her face scrunched slightly, the semisweetness of the berry turned bitter as she bit on one of the seeds. It exploded slightly in her mouth, filling it with what seemed like a fine sand. She spit her bite out and looked angrily towards Perlonis. Perlonis either didn't notice or didn't care, as he had no reaction. She sees Perlonis spit out a seed before taking another bite.

Setsuna rolled her eyes and took another bite, this time careful not to bite down on a seed. After she finished her berry, she peered at Perlonis yet again. "So, why'd you do it?" Perlonis broke his gaze with the trees as he looked at Setsuna, but he didn't answer. Setsuna, slightly annoyed, repeated herself. "Why'd you get me this food. It's not like I've been particularly friendly."

"No, you haven't been. You're a bitch quite frankly, but I guess it's better to have a nasty acquaintance rather than a sworn enemy." Setsuna's anger flared at being called a bitch, but she stopped herself from saying anything. It's not like being called that was anything new anyway.

"Well, don't think I owe you anything." Setsuna spat out angrily, but her rage quickly subsides. Setsuna looked out into the wilderness, muttering something under her breath. "Thanks." Perlonis doesn't say a word, smiling just slightly.

After a while Perlonis frowns at Setsuna and asks "Why do you want to become a Hunter? Nothing awaits on the other side of this test besides death."

"That's something a coward like you would never understand. It's about putting yourself in danger for the people who can't fight back." Perlonis peered at Setsuna, surprised to hear such a selfless answer from someone as cold as her.

"That's why I shouldn't be here. I can't fight, I never learned how. I've been a street rat for my entire life."

"And ain't that just a life worth living." Setsuna paused slightly, just enough for the thought to sink in. "I agree with you on one thing, you shouldn't be here. You'll only hold everyone back. And yet, unless you nut up and shut up, you're going to be ran out of that city." Setsuna paused again, a smile growing on her face. "I can't imagine someone like you surviving all alone out here, though I would pay to see you try." Setsuna chuckled at her own words. Perlonis stayed quiet, pondering the words Setsuna set before him.

Perlonis's thought are cut short as the wagons lurched to a halt. Any recruit unlucky enough to be standing were thrown to the ground, one was even thrown over the side of their wagon. Setsuna wasted no time, hoisting herself over the railing. She stretched in an attempt to uncramp herself. A few wagons back she eyed Yppah and Rydon exiting their wagon. Setsuna contemplated walking towards the two, but decided against it. She was in much too good of a mood to sully it with a squabble.

The recruits began congregating around the clearing, forming small groups within larger ones. A dull roar of chatter filled the air, as people were discussing the whole situation. One of these small groups consisted of Yppah and Rydon, who were both in aw by just how many people were in the clearing.

"I didn't realize this many people were going to take the test. There must over 50 people." Yppah said amazed. Rydon nodded slightly.

"There were only six recruits total in the guild hall. Everyone else must have gotten there the day of." Yppah spots Morum towering over the crowd. He looked like he was conversing with a bunch of well dressed individuals, though she had trouble seeing over the mob of people.

"Attention!" Morum roared. The crowd immediately became silent as Morum's word reverberated throughout the recruits. "After the long trip we are finally here, your testing destination. I'm sure you are all wondering what this test entails." Morum looks around, giving off a small smirk. "Those of you who are acute to monster habits may have already figured it out, but for those who haven't, this forest is very special. For we are all standing in the middle of the event, called the Great Jaggi Munt."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter IV**_

Silence. Morum stood there waiting to see the reaction of the recruits. Much of them speculated quietly amongst each other. Yppah glanced over at Rydon who just shrugged. Of course he didn't know anything either Yppah thought to herself.

"We're dead." Everyone looked around to see who had said that. Perlonis was on his knees with a glazed look in his eyes and a slight quirk on his mouth. "We're dead." He stated again.

"You're _always_ saying that." Setsuna spat at him. "We're 'dead', we need to not be here. You've been saying it nonstop since yesterday and quite frankly I'm sick and tired of hearing it. You need to get a pair and grow up."

"He's not wrong." everyone looked at Morum as he reconfirmed what Perlonis said. "These Hunter Exams are designed to test you in real life situations and make sure you're _really_ up for our life." Morum walked over to Perlonis and picked him up with one hand to set Perlonis on his feet. "Lust's Appeal will have you fight a monster one on one in the arena, Sloth's Ego will have you run a couple hundred miles, from one city to the next over a week. We of Pride's Hand, have place you in the middle of the Great Jaggi Munt, and see if anyone lives." Silence fell over the crowd as Morum's words sank in.

"Okay, but what _is_ the Great Jaggi Munt?" someone asked.

"Ah, great question" Morum responded. "Every few years Great Jaggi, I'm assuming you know what those are, all travel together to their breeding grounds. This forest acts almost like a homing beacon for the packs to converge as they migrate. A Great Jaggi alone is a formidable task for _most_ beginning Hunters, a pack will take coordination to take down, but the Munt will take all you know, and a little bit of instinct for you to survive. Your test is to survive by whatever means you deem necessary for five days." Morum holds up his fingers as he states this. "One day to prepare, three days to live, and we'll pick you up at some point on the fifth day in this clearing."

Morum walked over to Perlonis, who was now hyperventilating. Adorned on Morum's back was a simple pair of blades. "You're gonna need these." he whispered, placing the blades and a pack in front of Perlonis. After a small smirk, he turned to the crowd. "Basic weapons and provisions will be provided to those who don't have any."

Morum walked over to some weapon racks that had been set up while he was talking. "Remember, you don't have to fight, just survive." as Morum turned to walk away he looked over his shoulder with an evil grin, "Oh, and just a warning, Great Jaggis may not be the only thing out here," and a cloud of smoke engulfed the clearing.

When the smoke cleared Morum and the wagons were gone, and most of the recruits had stunned looks on their faces. Yppah was among them, standing stunned at Morum's remarks. Rydon snapped her out of her trance, yanking her towards the pile of weapons. The other recruits were already scrambling over the neatly placed equipment. Yppah squeezed her way in, managing to grab a sword and shield set before she was shoved backwards. Once at a safe distance, Yppah looked at Rydon. The beast of a man was easily able to force his way into the crowd, emerging with a long sword.

"That was chaos." retorted Yppah, slightly out of breath.

"Well, That's what you get when you throw everyone in a survival situation. It becomes a free for all." Yppah looked around as the other recruits dispersed into the surrounding wilderness. "Guess we are on our own for now." Rydon rummaged through what was left of the provisions, but anything useful was already taken. Yppah walked up behind him.

"We should get moving. I'm almost certain that there are jaggis coming this way." Rydon nodded slightly, slinging his sword over his back. The two of them start their journey through the dense forest, each anxious with about the week ahead of them.

Perlonis was the first to leave the meadow. He had no plan and no clue where he was going. All he knew was that he needed to find a good place to lay low and wait out the munt. A flurry of thoughts swirled through his head as he ran. _What am I going to do? How long can I last? Will I die out here._ Through his thoughts he hears what sounds like a stream. Perlonis stopped, figuring out the direction of the stream, then darting towards the sound.

A jaggi yelp stopped him in his tracks. Perlonis felt his heart beat even faster as he pressed against a tree. An opening was only a few meters ahead. Perlonis looked through the trees, towards the source of the yelp, but couldn't see anything. The thought of running away emerged, but he banished it. _I need water._ After taking multiple deep breaths, Perlonis creeped towards the opening. Pressing himself against another tree, he sneaks a peak.

Nothing. Perlonis stayed, cautiously scanning the area. Still nothing. Perlonis exhaled deeply as he continued his attempt to calm down. He scans the riverbed one more time before finally walking towards it. Dropping his pack, he leaned down and cupped water from the stream. After a few gulps, Perlonis gazed towards his bag.

He rummaged through the contents, making a mental list. _A canteen, flint and steel, basic medical supplies, A single portion of jerky, a carving knife, and a compass. Hopefully this will be enough._ Perlonis filled his canteen, his eyes ever scanning the surroundings. Once finished he quickly repacked his bag and began moving, knowing that being stagnant is a great way to be killed. A worry grew in the back of his mind, but he shook it off the best he could. Finding a shelter was the only thing on his mind.

Near the river stood a cliff face, which Perlonis gravitated to. _Cliffs usually mean caves._ He thought to himself, forcing his way through some bramble. Perlonis froze. A great jaggi lay asleep in front of him. He turned around and attempted to leave. As he stepped away, a small snapping noise echoed off the cliff. Perlonis looked down, seeing that his foot crushed a twig. _You gotta be fucking kidding me. This is too cliche to be happening right now.  
_

A gurgling sensation manifested in Yppah's stomach. It had been hours since she last ate. "We should find some food." Rydon stated, obviously hearing her stomach's protest. Yppah simply nodded in agreement. The duo walked for another minute, but stopped once they heard a noise. Rydon turned his ear towards the source.

"I think we just found dinner." Rydon said, getting low. Yppah mirrored his movement, still straining to hear what Rydon heard. Yppah sighed as she came up empty. Yppah followed Rydon into some bramble, who then stopped. He parted some of the twigs, showcasing a meadow, and in the middle of the meadow stood a kelbi.

"I don't think it's noticed us yet." Rydon remarked, a frown appearing on his face. "Though I doubt either of us can get close enough to actually catch the thing." Yppah scrunched her face, examining the surroundings. She spotted an opening in the shrubs near their location.

"I might have a plan." Yppah exclaimed, pointing towards the opening. "See that choke point? You hide over there and I'll try and lure it towards you. When it get's close, attack." Rydon peered at the opening and nodded, silently making his way towards it. Yppah snuck around the outside, making her best attempt to not scare the kelbi. She positioned herself behind her prey. Her attempt was in vain, as a distant roar spooked the kelbi, it running in a random direction.

"Fuck." Yppah cussed as she watched the kelbi prance off into the forest. Rydon stood up, but stopped as another roar sounded off again, this time much closer. Rydon crouched back down and motioned towards Yppah to follow. She did as instructed and walked slowly towards the stated direction. They both stop as they heard another sound.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck." Repeated a familiar voice. Yppah perked up as realized that the stream of profanities belonged to Perlonis. She quickly stood up and ran towards the noise, Rydon following close behind.

"We could just leave him you know." Rydon called out behind Yppah.

"I don't want anyone to die on my watch Rydon." Yppah yelled out behind her.

"Even if he does get eaten by a Jaggi it'll just be that much easier to take out." Rydon replied as he caught up to Yppah, his longer strides making it easy to catch up. Yppah halted in her tracks and stared Rydon evenly in the eye, or at least as evenly as she could.

"Perlonis's death would be on my conscious and I can't let that happen," Yppah stated. "And I don't think you could either." Yppah then turned and continued running towards the noise.

"Dammit" Rydon cursed, "You're just gonna get yourself killed." Rydon starred in the opposite direction for a few moments. "And what kind of hero would I be if I just let you do that alone." Rydon turned and ran after Yppah, "Damn me for a fool" he whispered to himself.

A roar echoed through the trees, causing Yppah to stumble slightly. The force of the sound caught her off guard. It was like someone smacked her in the chest. The jaggi was close. She jumped over a small line of brush to see a purple blur cross her vision. _Oh shit._ Yppah thought to herself. She looked to where Perlonis was running from, seeing the great jaggi running towards her, only a few strides away.

Yppah acts instinctively, swinging her shield at the charging beast. It connects with the side of its jaw, sending it tumbling past her. A sharp pain shot through her arm, hitting the beast much harder than she expected. She forgot about the sync gems amplifying her strength.

"Wow." Rydon remarked. "You just bitch slapped a great jaggi." Yppah smirked at the compliment, trying to hide the pain that radiated through her arm. "Though we aren't done yet." Rydon uttered, clutching the hilt of his long sword. The jaggi recovered from the surprise attack, shaking it head. It barked at the two newbie hunters, keeping its distance.

Yppah clutched the hilt of her sword, her hands shaking. It was actually happening, she was actually fighting a monster, and it hit her like like a brick. _I can't do this. This thing is huge and I have no clue what I'm doing. Perlonis was right, I'm going to die._ She began shaking even more violently than before. That's when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see that it belonged to Rydon.

"Look at you, being scared and all that." Rydon scoffed. Yppah nodded back, taking a deep breath. She gathered her composure just in time for the beast to strike.

The jaggi lunged forward at Yppah, flailing its large hind claws at her. Yppah lurched to the side, dodging its attack while slashing the beast. It didn't wound the jaggi, the dull blade skirting across the jaggi's thick scales. Rydon dashed forward next, slashing his sword in a long arc.

The jaggi intercepted his attack, slamming its tail into Rydon, the force sending him into a tree. Rydon released a grunt of pain upon impact. He rose back to his feet, coughing up a small amount of blood in the process. Rydon simply smiled. "You're dead now." he scoffed, wiping the blood with his sleeve.

"Great threat, now how do you expect us to kill this thing?!" Perlonis griped.

"Why are you here, I thought you would've kept running." Yppah spat out.

"Trust me, I having got the slightest clue either. Something about protecting the world or some shit like that." Perlonis replied, his voice shaking.

"Nice to see that you've grown a pair. As to answer your question, I'll kill it with some good old fashioned determination." he replied, dashing at the creature once again. The jaggi bite at Rydon, who sidestepped and swung his sword. To his dismay it also skirted across its scales. Yppah looked upon the fight in the distance, as Rydon weaved in and out, his hits simply glancing off. _Our swords aren't sharp enough._ She thought to herself. Just then a thought appeared and she turned towards Rydon.

"I got an idea, Rydon to me. Perlonis, distract it." Yppah spouted out. Perlonis looked at her like she went crazy.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that! Sing while doing the hula?"

"I don't know, figure it out, you've already pissed it off once." Perlonis scowled at her, before turning his attention towards the great jaggi.

"You're crazy!" he yelled.

"I know, deal with it." Yppah quipped back. Perlonis looked down. _I can't believe I'm doing this._ He thought to himself. Raising both hands in the air he started prancing and yelled at the Jaggi.

"Hey look at me! I'm pretty, and tasty come and eat me! EAT ME!"

Perlonis's tactic succeeded, surprisingly, drawing the attention of the great jaggi. Rydon ran over to Yppah.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked.

"Throw me." She commanded.

"W-what?"

"You're strong right, you could do it."

"Perlonis was right, you have gone crazy." Rydon remarked.

"Just trust me here." Rydon stared at her in confusion before giving in.

"Alright, let's do this." He said, cupping his arms on the ground. "Get a running start." Yppah nodded, taking a few steps back before sprinting towards Rydon. She used his hands as a springboard, him vaulting her over his shoulder towards the beast. The speed caught her off guard slightly, but she didn't have enough time to think about that. She watched her sword plunge into its shoulder as she slammed into the scaly beast.

Blood splattered all over her, before her body crashed into the ground. She tumbled a bit before grinding to a halt. Yppah coughed, gasping for breath and whimpering in pain simultaneously. She tasted blood in her mouth, but she wasn't sure if it was her own or if it's from the jaggi. She looked up to see the great jaggi still standing, her sword lodged within it's side.

The Jaggi turned toward Yppah and took a few steps toward her, rage filling its eyes. Someone, something had hurt it and now everything had to pay, but first on the Jaggi's list was the person directly responsible. Letting out a terrible howl the Jaggi lunged forward to rip Yppah apart. Yppah tried to move out of the way, but her body wouldn't budge. When the Jaggi was within a few yards of Yppah a figured dropped out of the canopy onto the Jaggi's back.

Setsuna stood on the creature's back and bellowed out

"That's enough you wretched creature!" And swung down with her weapon crushing the creature's head.


End file.
